why do web browsers use so much ram, while the average size of an entire webpage is 2mb?

Question

From what I understand, one could cache 100 web pages (obviously, 2mb is average, but there are much smaller and much larger than that) in about 200mb. 1GB could cache literally 500 web pages.

How come web browsers use so much ram then?

In: 3000

Answer 1

Imagine you’re building a treehouse. The instructions are a booklet of a hundred pages that you can bend and fit in a pocket. A treehouse and everything else you need to build it (tools, wood, nails, etc.) are much bigger.

The HTML code (what you call a webpage) is instructions to your browsers what to do. RAM and other resources is what browsers and a computer use to give you a finished page.